..::Age of Survival::..

[TheSandWraith]

.::Age of Survival::. Open BETA released!

INTRODUCTING:
AGE OF SURVIVAL

Starting
The cold is griping. It takes hold of you, drives you mad, controls your whole body and will turn you against each other, to the point of life and death. Life, your own against another. Death, it hangs on the blade of you, or you foes. The cold turns harmless animals in killers that rip open your chest with one fierce swipe of their mighty paws. The cold can also keep you alive, fighting for every second of warmth, pushing you to survive by reaching, going beyond, your limits. The frozen north was never ideal, but a clan of warriors forged in it, will be able to stand the bitterness war and drive their enemy out of sight, they will turn the soil red with blood and commence all out war to defend . . . this is what Ner'zhul told us. That is why we are here. This is the Age of Survival.

Summary
Your typical survival map, like Island Troll Tribes or Ice or Troll tribes except not only are you battling and surviving against the elements, but you are also battling and surviving each other. Now let me explain before you say "oh, but you already do that in Island Troll Tribes." At first, you will select your class, then you will survive from region to region, leveling up, and gaining new abilities just like Island Troll Tribes. But when you reach a certain level, you are able to choose a profession, that will in turn put in motion the second phase of the game. Once your profession is chosen, you no longer have to survive the elements, but each other. This may be a little confusing still, but I will explain it all in good time. One of the professions (the key profession that is) is a construct. He as the ability to found a city in the wilderness, build it up and make in habitable for all the other players. But in order for the construct to make his city profitable, he needs other players of other professions to come into his town to work, from which he can tax them while they live in comfort of his town to work. Another key profession, is the commander. He can be hired by a construct, for a fee, to build up defenses around the constructs city, such as walls, towers and bunkers. This allows for several cities to be in conflict with each other, for what ever reason that may be, such as resources, land or maybe even just a simple dispute so that you now are caught within waring cities, trying to survive the conflict and be on the winning side; because, the winning side, decides the fate of the losing side; slavery, maybe; life long shame, most likely. The whole game will be played with no NPC's, only players building up cities and making their own world.

Features
~ 4 Classes that you can play to form the ultimate tribe of warriors.
~ 5 Unique professions that bring the game into a new style of survival, tactics and economy.
~ Fire Emblem style fighting that requires tactics and a quick equip to defeat foes.
~ A fully customized environment that pits you against harsh weather, dangerous animals and has you fighting to survive.
~ Menu system similar to tKoK (menu items appear in your inventory).

Classes

Max level: 40 (20 un-sub classed, 20 sub classed)
- Hunter
-- Good at hunting down enemies and animals. All around good class and your basic "noob" class.
- Beastmaster
-- Able to have a pet and is well in tune with nature. Is rather weak at his standard, but can become strong.
- Gatherer
-- Weakest of all the classes, but is very good at finding different items and things located in the wilderness. Makes for a good construct.
- Thief
-- Another good "noob" class, but can also become complex. The thief is agile and takes things when needed.
NOTE: Each class can choose from one of two sub-classes at a certain level.

Professions

Max profession level: 120
- Construct
-- Able to construct buildings for a city that others, such as the blacksmith, alchemist and merchant, can come to work or live in. The construct can also "invite" other players to be a citizen within his constructed city and that person gains all of the benefits that his city has to offer.
- Commander/Soldier
-- Able to build defense buildings (given he has a contract with a construct) and learn new fighting abilities that excel over others.
- Blacksmith
-- Able to mine ore and create new armor and weapons which in turn can be sold to a merchant or traded for other items in his craft.
- Alchemist
-- Able to collect certain plants and weeds that are used to create powerful potions to aid allies and be sold or traded.
- Merchant
-- Able to buy items and re-sell them for a desired price. The only profession that can buy and sell items for gold. The merchant is able to set up shop within a city and set the prices of his products, and also in turn can effect the way the whole cities economy will play out.
NOTE: When your profession level has reached a certain level, you can specialize your profession; i.e. Blacksmith can specialize to Armor Smith or Weapon Smith.

Combat
the combat system is similar to Fire Emblem's Weapon Triangle with 3 different attack styles (Blunt, Edge and Blade) that change when you equip a new weapon of a different style (i.e. Axes are edge weapons, so if you use a blade weapon [swords, etc.] and equip an axe, it will change your style to edge).
The Weapon Triangle
Blunt is good against Blade.
Blade is good against Edge.
Edge is good against Blunt.

To-Do List
~ Finish terraining (Tundra, Mountains and Forest)
~ Weather effects and hazards
~ Create creep spawn/re-spawn system
~ Complete professions
~ Institute death system
~ Finish recipies and corresponding items
~ GUI recipie tracker
~ Trigger construction "era"
~ Balance units
~ Beta-Test

My hope with this new game is to revolutionize the survival mod genre and make it a fun and exciting experience that will allow players to craft and build up a world of their own.

Map History/Update Log
BETA released: Nov. 2nd 2008

Screenshots
The new screenshots are in and I would like to get some feed back on them.
1: Part of the mountain area.
2: The starting snow area, over looking a frozen lake of sorts. Sorry about edge of map, it is just the placement of the area Also, this screenshot is now more or less obsolete, seeing as I have decided to add pine trees to the snow area.
3: Looking up over a ridge at one of the sub-class characters. Mountain region in the background
4: A mountain ridge area.
5: Overlooking a small water inlet in the snow area with some pine trees in the distance.
6: From left to right: Hunter, Beastmaster, Gatherer, Scout and Thief.

 

[madman9800]

Sounds very intreasting, seems like you have a lot of the terrain done, please post some screenshots (i bet you 99% of people on here will not read a post that has no pictures...)

 

[Steel_Cold]

I like the idea of the constructor, nice twist to the Troll Tribes/Survival Series. Keep it up.

 

[Bob27]

Sounds like a nice idea, but you should include screenshots of your project. post some screenshots and then I will comment on them and the project a bit more.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Sorry for not posting some screenshots guys, I'll get right on that. I'll make some new screenshots, but for now I will just add a link to the terrainshowcase I have on the hive.

 

[Chaos Overlord]

Map Dimensions, and what race are we going to be playing? Will we be humans, and if that, will it be no custom models, or a lot of them? I do like this idea. It would be interesting.

But I am still a little confused. you say that they can make cities for all the other players. That means that it is a free for all? I think that that might be a little unfair. Maybe have two teams of six?

 

[TheSandWraith]

1. Map dimensions are epic (256x256), but I am considering knocking it down to huge.
2. The race is Orc. Pretty much the same models as used in Island troll tribes, Hunter=Troll Trapper, Beastmaster=Shaman, Gatherer=Troll Witch Doctor, Scout=Warlock and the Thief=Troll(one with 2 axes). The only custom model for units I have right now is the Troll Overlord, but I also have a couple custom tree models.
3. I did think about the teams idea, but I didn't really like the way it was going. I hate when you get into a match and find out that the team your on is full of jerks that screw you over. I want you to find who your allies are and who you want to team up with. Then form an alliance with them, which is then were you make your team of six or eight or whatever. So yes, in a sense it is free for all, but more starcraft style, where you can form teams in game. And if you don't want to be part of a city you can always do freelance things, like be a freelance blacksmith and go into a town and sell your goods or trade them. The advantage of living in another's city is that you don't have to defend yourself and worry about dying. Right now I myself can see several flaws in the way the teaming works; such as everyone just sitting around by themselves, or a team of like 10 people ganking the 2 team guys; but I'll run some beta testings and see how it goes. My thinking in it is that making a city and waring with cities will be funner than just sitting around, so the games fun level will depend on the players. It's a new idea that I do believe will succeed and I hope to get it finished soon.

Thanks a lot for all the questions, please keep em' coming, I like to answer any I can.

EDIT: Btw, I'll try and post some screen shots tonight, after work.

 

[Chaos Overlord]

How extensive will these professions be? Will they be big enough to entertain people through the whole game, or will I run out of new items to blacksmith after five minutes of it? Would you ever consider "secret" items and such that you can only build if you find the plans? Like in WoW, for instance, you can learn most of your profession abilities from the trainers but there are certain recipies of items that you can only get from drops. would you ever consider doing this?

What are these subclasses that each hero can change to? Can you give us details on all of the heros such as abilities that they would have or are you not all the way doen with that?

I will have more questions later, this is fun.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Man, I agree this is fun, I am a little busy right now, so let me get back to you tomorrow. All your questions are also helping me formulate new ideas, and revise old ones too

 

[TheSandWraith]

1. Currently, the professions will be as extensive as I can get. I want you to be making new items and doing new stuff and have it last for a long time. Now, before I answer the second part of your question, let me just say; remember that your playing as a character that is in a new and undiscovered area. All the things you make will be just that, you make them. I am going to implement tons (200 maybe) of items you can make for each profession, but you don't find plans to get them, you don't go to a trainer to learn how to make it. You simply gather up some rare materials and see what you can make. When a new item has been made, then other people can learn it from you so they too can make it (and maybe then, you are the trainer And secret items, yes, there will be those but they will be very hard to make and have many materials to make them.
2. As to the sub-classes, I don't really want to go to much into that. When you reach a certain level (10? Don't quite know yet) you will be able to choose one of two of your classes sub-class. You can only choose one and you cannot go back so choose wisely. The abilities I have jotted down of paper but those are really ideas, some of them I will use, and others I will not. Right now I have three abilities for each class (thats the max you get) and when you sub your character, one of his previous abilities stays along with three new ones. So this makes a subbed character with four total abilities. I.E. A thief has the sneak ability, which makes him invisible, and when subbed, he keeps that ability along with three new ones, but loses his other two from his previous form, if you will. I will also update the the classes in the thread to give a bit more detail.

Keep the questions coming, this is good feedback.

 

[Chaos Overlord]

So you have to just put items into your invenotry, press the "Create" button, then hope you get something good? And then if you do, you would probably want to write down the items and their inventory spot right? I like that idea. That way it is moe making stuff, and you dont get to cheat and read what takes what to make stuff. You have to find out yourself.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Yeah, more or less like that. I will put in like five or six items that already have plans for them so you don't just have nothing. Also, I don't think I'm gonna make you write it down. Right now I'm toying with a menu system so that when you make a new item, it puts it in your personal menu and gives the info on it so you can just quickly review it when you want to re-make it. I'm also going to try and put in a save/load system in, but it will probably have to be pretty limited, seeing as you can't really save all the different items that you created, so you will pretty much just save your character, his inventory items, your backpack items, stats, silver, lumber and stones.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Hey everybody! Just thought I would let you guys know that I have added some new screenshots for Age of Survival! Enjoy!

 

[Chaos Overlord]

I dont think you should add a save thing. If you do, it should only save the menu so that you dont have to start out from nothing again, but thats all! About the screens, most of them look pretty empty, but I will take it as WIPS, so you are probably still working on them. You need more doodads, more environment like shrubs and rocks and trees and crap. Also, I find now I dont see the point of a city builder. What is the point of meeting in the ctiy instead of woods? Why build a city when all it does is look nice, you should just learn a better skill. You need to do something to make it worth while in a game. I think mixing that and the General is the best idea.

 

[unju]

It really does sound good. Just posting to encourage you, hopefully you´ll finish it. I am trying to finish my own map too and it is costing me an arm and a leg.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Thanks for replying guys. And yes, those screenies are all WIPs, so they are not done and I will continue to work on the terrain up until release probably, its something that takes forever to perfect. And as for the city vs. woods thing, well let me explain just a little bit more. At first when you are just surviving against nature, the animals are strong enough, but not too strong to kill by yourself. When the someone begins building a city, the animals get "irritated" and are much stronger and animals attack much more frequently and even stronger. So the advantage of a city is to be able to be protected from the stronger animals in the woods, instead of trying to do it yourself. Another thing, the professions to take a matter in this. When you have your profession, you now need certain items and other things that you can only get at a Market, which is the place that a merchant sets up within a city. So now you also need a city to up your profession and get better items.

 

[Magoo 111]

Bad...freakin'...ass

 

[Moontraveler]

Necropost much?

 

[TheSandWraith]

Necropost to the MAX! No one has posted here for ever. Thanks.

I guess I should give a little update if I want to keep my plans alive.

Right now I'm at a little stand still due to some technical problems and my map not openening up on my PC. Anyway, I'm building a new one around Christmas so it should be resolved soon.

 

[frankie11]

You could attach it here and I'll save it with a different filename and maybe that could work?

 

[TheSandWraith]

I don't think that would do much.

My little sister has a computer and I transfered the map file to her computer and it opens up with her computer and her WE. There seems to be some relation to my computer because it doesn't open up on my computer but it will with any other computer

If you could mabye think of something else that might fix it, that would be great; although I have tried almost everything: System recovery on Windows, re-install Warcraft, scan for viruses, and even checked the MDX files in the map to see if any were corrupt. None of these things seemed to turn up any results.

 

[Freakydemon]

I hope this project doesn't die like most good and great protjects do
(Project Revolution,...etc) Seems to be a really intresting map
Would love to see this finished. Good luck !

 

[panther-anthro]

Sounds good to me, I think it's nice that you're making a survival map, but many have tried to beat out jungle tribes. Jungle tribes is still by far the most popular, I wish you luck.

 

[Deathcom3s]

hmmm, don't give up, or just buy the computer back. It looked like you were done with the terrain when i saw it and, can I help you with it?

 

[TheSandWraith]

You seem to all be genueinly interested in my project which is cool. No, I have not given up, and I'm continually trying to fix my map; and as it seems, my plans for a new PC has maybe fallen through so I'm going to try wiping out my computer and then hopefully that will fix the problem.
As with the Jungle Troll Tribes, it's very fun, but when I play it (often) there seems to be a lack of objective. Kill the other teams. I would rather do other things, among that, like trying to better your character or make it easier for survival; which is what I implementing into this map.

deathcom3s: I usually work alone, but if you really want to help, maybe I could use it. What exactly did you want to help with? And no, I'm not getting a new PC because of this problem. My PC is a little out of date and I'm just ready for a new one.

 

[Deathcom3s]

yes, I know you're ready for a new PC, cus im going to buy it! Guess who i am!

 

[TheSandWraith]

Update

My computer is back online!
After wiping it out, I now can open my map up and have started to work on it again. Currently, I am pathing the areas that are 99% finished, so soon, about 2 of the areas will be complete: The snow area (starting area) and the jungle area. Hope people are still as exctited as I am for this project.

 

[Freakydemon]

Gratz But i got a qeustion, so you can make items and stuff, will there be a Specific order of the items required? (like in ITT?) like dunno axe => slot 1 stone, slot 2 stick?
Or doesn't it matter in which order you put it together, because if you don't get the recipes this could be frustrating to find things.

 

[Deathcom3s]

Sounds like it worked, hope you finish it soon, i want to play it.

[off topic]lol, you got it back up and running, but you're gonna have to transfer files again when i buy it in a couple of weeks =P

 

[cortezz]

I cant wait for this map. I wish you the best of luck with completing it.

 

[43berries]

Trees are a turn off. Fix the sky it doesn't tone in with the fog in my suggestion. And are you scaling things to look spiffy+practical or just practical. Option A is ALOT harder to do.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Sorry I haven't been online for a while.

Gratz But i got a qeustion, so you can make items and stuff, will there be a Specific order of the items required? (like in ITT?) like dunno axe => slot 1 stone, slot 2 stick?
Or doesn't it matter in which order you put it together, because if you don't get the recipes this could be frustrating to find things.

Right now, it is on a slot basis. You need them in the correct order. I am still trying to work out a system were it doesn't matter what order it is in, but it is pretty difficult seeing as there are a ton of different items that can be made.

Trees are a turn off. Fix the sky it doesn't tone in with the fog in my suggestion. And are you scaling things to look spiffy+practical or just practical. Option A is ALOT harder to do.

I realize that the Blizzard trees are, and never were, a good choice; But because not many tree models out there have a death and hit animation (they usually don't have any animations) I have to go with them, because of how you can cut them down. Also, I know the sky and fog don't fit. I'm still trying to find a good balance of fog that fits with all my different types of regions, but as you can imagine, that is difficult. And on the note of the "style" that I'm going with, I have scaled the trees to were the unit is half the size of a tree (as is in a typical melee map of Blizzard's) because I don't know about you guys, but I have never seen a full grown tree that is only twice my size.

[UPDATE] I have begun creating a starting cinematic that will introduce the "story" a little bit. I have also re-done the equipment system to be more player friendly and now the snow and jungle regions are completely playable. I have also started work on the professions and seeing as they are giving little resistance (they are easy triggering) I should be done with all of them within the month.

 

[Deathcom3s]

Holy crap man, you've been working on it like crazy, have you been taking work off or something?

 

[TheSandWraith]

NO! I think that taking work off to work on something like this is dumb. I do this all in my freetime, after work, and besides most of it is easy and can be accomplished easily. Just minor stuff that you blow through.

 

[Deathcom3s]

hmm, about using custom trees, if you don't want to use custom ones because they don't have the animation, a custom tree that would look good in the forest area or whatever and has the cut down animation thing would be the Everwood tree that you can download off of WC3C, i've used it before and it looks pretty nice, just a suggestion i thought i'd give.

 

[Freakydemon]

So how's the triggering going ?

 

[TheSandWraith]

Sorry, again, I haven't checked back in a while, didn't think people were still excited for it...
Anyway, Freakydemon, the triggering is going well and I've made a lot of good progress on it. I have started on two of the profession triggers (blacksmithing and alchemy) and will, hopefully, be finished with them soon.
On another note, (good and/or bad depending of how you look at it) I have decided to level out the terrain and totally re-vamp it all. This time I am going for almost all snow. It will be more of a mix of different snow regions, such as ice-caps, snow forest, snow plains and such like that. I have decided that trying to juggle 5 different areas (snow, jungle, plains, canyon and desert) really limits my terraining potential, so that is out. I am still keeping all my implemented triggers and custom objects so it is just the terrain that is getting a make-over.
Hope that doesn't disappoint too many, as it means a longer wait

 

[Freakydemon]

Well combining 5 terrains in 1 map sounded kinda crap so, would be better to make it al in snow like you're doing now to bad this means a total remake of your terrain, adding a lot of time. But still this can only improve the map's quality

 

[Deathcom3s]

Hmm, did you decide to re-vamp the terrain after you visited? Hope it doesn't delay it too much. If you need any help, just tell me.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Na, after finally downloading Born2Modificates pack and seen his amazing models (in particular, the trees) I have decided to use them. He has a couple tree models that also have a chopped down version, just a stump, so I am going to trigger it when the tree dies it will create the stump at that point.

 

[Darkenneko_003]

Mmm..
I've followed this project for awhile, Long ago, xD
Forgot about it, stumbled on it again, =]
Its made some great improvements and I'd love to see this get finished!
You can do it, most of it looks very great, and I'd love to see it done.
=]
-Calvin

 

[TheSandWraith]

Thanks, it means a lot when people are actually excited to see me finish it. Actually keeps me working on it, and not abandoning it like so many of my other projects, like WarcraftCrossing, which I plan to finish after this. Anywho, thanks again!

 

[Darkenneko_003]

Thanks, it means a lot when people are actually excited to see me finish it. Actually keeps me working on it, and not abandoning it like so many of my other projects, like WarcraftCrossing, which I plan to finish after this. Anywho, thanks again!

=]
Thats how most projects are, They need Support, feed from the people to survive!
I'm Gladly willing to Test it, and Host it around Battle.net For You Myself. =]
Keep Working on it Mate. ^_^
-Calvin

 

[Deathcom3s]

hmm, how far you are you with the terrain now? Also, change the description in your signature since there are no longer canyons, jungles, and deserts. Hmm warcraft crossing, you haven't shown me that map.

 

[TheSandWraith]

Yeah, I'll get around to changing the thread and my sig sooner or later. Also, Warcraft Crossing was a Mix of Warcraft and a really good game, Animal Crossing, but I never finished it. It was going along pretty well, but I lost interest, more or less, and stopped. I have a map development thread some where on the hive displaying some of its features if you interested in looking it up.
As far as the terrain goes, I have done a new layout of it all as you know, and have also made a drawing of what it will look like. Currently I again have 5 new regions, but all the same theme (snow) and they are: Icecaps (starting area and snowiest), Lower plains (snowy plains), The Tundra (a lot like the lower plains, but much bigger and different in other ways) Forest (snow forest with pine and coniferous trees) and the instance-like area of the Mountains (self explainitory).

EDIT: I have added two new screenshots to the thread. Above them is the description of each. Again, I would like to get some feed back on it to see what needs improving.

 

[Deathcom3s]

The Mountain Area looks really good, looks like you got that pine tree model you wanted, the snow area looks good as well. Overall, the terrain looks much better than before.

 

[Darkenneko_003]

Hmm...
Re-Terraining, Always a Hasel,
But I Understand, Born2Modificates Doodad Pack is Splendid, Tho,
I Never liked having to Import/Export Things, and the names got confusing, and how he added no readme. >w<"
But Anyways, He has a great Doodad pack, and I'm Sure you can do it. =]
I Like Terraining Personally, but I Just want to help Ya, xD
Its a Great sounding project, and I want to continue to Encourage you to finish it!
Keep Working on it, and If you ever need anything Just PM People For help?
Or ask on The Forums, =]
We are Here To Serve?! xD
-Calvin

 

[TheSandWraith]

Yeah, I did get the models I was hoping for. Had everything I could ever want and without to much file usage. I have been continually fixing up the two areas and the snow area is almost completely done (its also the smallest area and the mountain is not really even close to done, but it is coming along.
Good to hear you are excited, and I hope I don't dissapoint.
Also, forgot to mention that I have re-done my menu system. The menu system wasn't something that I really have talked about but the old one was combersome to use and now I have stream-lined it to be easily used.
More updates to come later!

 

[MoCo]

The terrain looks very nice. Never played a troll-survival map though, but I'm really looking forward to play this map.

 

[Deathcom3s]

come on, post some new screenies or an update or something